Player piano



NOV- 11, 1925. 1,561,772

' O. H. CARLSON I PLAYER PIANO Filed Dec. 20, p1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.17 1925' O. H. CARLSON PLAYER P I AN0 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20,1919 0 N [v INVENTOR' BY pm/ W M ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

OSCAR H. GARLSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TO ESTEY PIANO COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLAYER PIANO.

Application filed December 20, 1919. Serial No. 34=- ,246.

To 0: whom it may concern Be it known that I. Ososu H. CARLSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at 7 Manhattan Ave, New York, inthe county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Player Pianos, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to player-pianos, and with regard to its morespecific features to devices for operating the treadle door andextending the treadles of the piano.

An object of the invention is to provide a player-piano with improvedmeans for moving the treadles thereof to operative or inoperativepositions, and for moving correspondingly a closure for the treadleopenmg. 4 Another object is to provide a piano having a panel with atreadle opening therein and a closure for the opening, with a simple andreliable closure operating means and treadle operating means which willpermit the removal of the panel without disturbing saidtreadle operatingmeans.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single operating meanscapable of easily and smoothly operating the treadle' door and extendingthe treadles of a playerpiano and which will be simple in construction,economical to manufacture and simple and positive in operation.

Another object is to provide an improved door and treadle operatingmeans for a player-piano adapted to open the treadle door and lower thetreadles in sequence to operative positions and to cushion the movementof said parts.

Other objects will he in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,wherein is illustrated one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the lower part the plate 11 on panel 3 andhaving rigidly of a player-piano embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is aslightly enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the, front board removedfrom the piano frame and showing the door in open position; D

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation with the panel removed showingthe operating mechanism and showing the treadle in folded position andthe door (dotted lines) in open position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the door and treadle operating mechanism,the treadles being in folded position and the operating mechanism inposition as shown in Fig.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the treadles in extended position; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of a detail showing a connection inthe treadle operating mechanism which affords lost motion to saidmechanism.

Referring more particularly to the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the numeral 1 indicates a player-piano of the upright typehaving a keyboard 2, a front panel 3 below the keyboard, and pedals 4c.The keyboard and pedals are employed when the piano is to be operatedmanually as is common in instruments of this type.

The panel 3 is preferably constructed so as to be readily removable fromthe piano case, and has at the lower edge thereof an opening which isarranged to be closed by a door or closure 5. This door is slidablymounted, as by straps or hangers 6, on a rod 7 which is mountedlongitudinally by means of suitable supports on the inner face of panel3, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Movement limiting stops 8 may be employedto limit the movement of the door in both eX- treme positions and thesemay be conveniently supplied with cushioning pads, as of felt, tosilence the impact of the door inopening or closing movements. Alsomounted on the back of the panel and arranged for sliding engagementwith door 5 are cushioning strips 9 of any suitable material so that theoperation of the door is rendered smooth and noiseless.

The sliding movement to open or to closed position is imparted to thedoor 5 by suitable operating means, part of which is mounted on the backofpanel 3. This part of the door operating mechanism includes a slottedmember 10 pivotally mounted on secured thereto and extending at an angletherefrom a crank 12 which is connected by the link 13 to a swingingpivoted arm i l, the latter being connected by a link 15 with the door.The member 10 is adapted to be loo connected through an open-*ended'slot16 v is as follows therein with other parts of the operating mechanismto be hereinafter more fully described.

Mounted beneath the keyboard 0f the piano in suitable bearings 17 whichare secured to portions of the framework, is a transversely disposedoperating shaft 18 extending across the upper edge of the panel 3 andhaving at its outer extremity an angularly disposed operating handle 19and at its inner extremity rigidly secured there to a crank 20. Securelymounted at the free end of this crank is a pin 21 which is adapted toengage with slot 16 of pivoted member 10 when the panel is in assembledposition on the front of the piano.

A bellows 22 having a stationary member 23 and a movable member 24: maybe employed to supply motive power when the instrument is used as aplayer-piano. Treadles 25, each pivotally mounted at one end to asupport or footboard 26, are operatively connected at their free ends asby links 27 with the movable member 2a of the bellows so that the lattermay be operated manually to perform its function. Footboard 26 may haveone or more cushioned feet 28 for engaging the floor and supporting thetreadles in operative or extended position. Cushions 29 may be employedto engage the treadles when folded to inoperative .position as shown inFig. 1.

Means operated in conjunction with the door operating means abovedescribed is employed to move the treadles from the folded positionshown in Figs. 3 and at through the opening in anel 3 to the extendedposition shown in Fig. 5. As illustrated, this operating means comprisesa modified bell crank lever pivotally mounted on a bracket 31 and havingan elongated arm 31 rigidly secured to foot-board 26. The other arm ofsaid bell crank lever is connected by a link 82 having an adjustableconnection 32 therein with one arm of a second bell crank lever 33pivotally mounted on a suitable bracket beneath the keyboard. The otherarm of said second bell crank lever is operatively connected with crank20 of operating shaft 18 by link 3st having a flattened end portion withan elongated slot 35 there-- in, in which engages a pin 3.6 rigidlysecured on a projection 37 on said crank (Fig. 6). A sp ng t er 38 is seured. beneath the. keyboard and is arranged to contact with one of thearms of bell crank 33 as the pedals fall by gravity into extended oroperative posit-ion. This absorbs the shock due to themomen unm thefaling pa s-s h t e pedal st ik t .floer Without und no se.

The opera-t on o the in ntion, Which-Will be; clearfrom the a ve esejptien, briefly Assuming that the parts are in folded 01' inoperativeposition as shown in Fig 1, the operator grasps the handle 19, turningthe shaft 18 in a counter-clockwise direction. During approximately thefirst of rotation of shaft 18, the pin 21 rides in slot 16 of pivotedmember 10, rotating the latter to move the door from closed to openposition through connections 12, 13, 14; and 15, whereupon pin 21 passesout of the open end of the slot so that there is no further operatingconnection between shaft 18 and door 5 as the operator continues torotate the shaft in a counter-clockwise direction. During the greaterportion of this movement the pin 36 slides idly in slot 35 so that theremay be little or no attendant move ment of the treadles. But as theshaft 18 continues to rot-ate further from the position shown in F .ig.3 toward that shown in Fig. 5, pin 36 engages at the end of slot 35,operating connections 3 33, 32, and 30 to move the treadles pivotally onbell crank lever 80 through the uncovered opening in panel 3. As thetreadles pass beyond their vertical line of support their pivotalmovement may e continued by gravity until the feet 28 engage the floor,the impact of the fall being absorbed by the spring buffer 38 asmentioned above. During this gravity movement of the pedals the pin 36rides idly through the slot 35 to the opposite end thereof so that theparts are then in proper relative positions to begin the reverse orfolding movement of the parts. It will thus be seen that the door andtreadles are operated successively to accomplish the desired results. Itwill be obvious that similar action occurs upon reverse movement of theope-rating handle to restore the parts to initial position. the partsthen being moved in reverse sequential order.

hen the panel 3 is removed from the )iano for any purpose, pin 21disengages with slot 16 and the door operating connection is broken, butthe treadle operating means is not thereby interfered with. hen thepanel is replaced the pin and slot again automatically engage so thatthe parts operate as above set forth.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the lanfeatures of the invention hereindescribed,

pedal] statementsof the scope of the invenn hich, a a ma er of language,migh be said to fall therebetween- I-Iaving described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a player piano, in combination, a case including a removable panelformed with a treadle opening, a movable closure carried by said panel,treadles arranged for movement through said opening between idleposition behind the panel and working position in front of the panel,means carried by said casii to move said treadles between said posiions, mechanism carried by said panel and operable by saidtreadle-moving means when the panel is in place to close and uncoversaid opening subsequently to the moven'ient of said treadles, and meansto operatively connect said treadlemoving means with saidclosure-operating mechanism, said connecting means being arranged topermit the removal of said panel with the closure and theclosure-operating mecha nism carried thereby while the treadle-opergmechanism remains intact.

In a player piano, in combination, a (use including a removable panelformed with a treadle opening, a movable closure carried by said panel,treadles arranged for movement through said opening between idleposition behind the panel and working position in. front of the panel,meanscar ricd by said casing to move said treadles between saidpositions, mechanism carried by said panel and operable by saidtreadle-moving means when the panel is in place to close and uncoversaid openin subsequently to the movement of said tr adles, and means tooperatively connect said treadle-moving means with saidcloslire-operating mechanism, said. connecting means comprisingcooperative members arranged to be brought into registry by theplacement of the panel, to he engaged and disengaged by the operation ofthe treadle-nioving means, and to be disengaged by the bodily upwardmovement of the panel.

In a player-piano, in combination, a case including a removable lowerfront panel having a treadle opening, a sliding closure for said openingcarried by said panel, treadles arranged for movement through saidopening from idle position behind said panel to working position beforesaid panel and vice versa, means carried by said case and connected tosaid treadles for moving the latter, and means carried by said panel formoving said closure, said last means including a part having areleasable connection with said first named means released by theremoval of the panel.

st. In a player piano, in combination, a case including a removablepanel formed with a treadle opening, a movable closure carried by saidpanel, treadles arranged for movement through said opening between idleposition behind the panel and working position in front of the panel,means carried by said casing to move said treadles between saidpositions, mechanism carried by said panel and operable by saidtreadle-moving means when the panel is in place to close and uncoversaid opening subsequently to the movement of said treadles, and means tooperatively connect said treadle-moving means with saidclosure-operating mechanism, said connecting means comprising a pair ofuxtaposed rotatable members mounted respectively on the casing and thepanel, said members being arranged to cooperate during the movement ofthe closure and to be disengaged after one of the movements thereof,said members being adapted to be disconnected by the bodily upwardmovement of the panel. a

5. A player piano, including, in combination, a case formed with anopening, a movable panel for covering said opening, a treadle,mechanism, means for moving said mechanism through said opening andbeyond said case and retracting it within the same, means for movingsaid panel, including a slotted member, a crank, a projection forming apart of said crank and extendable into the slot of said member wherebyupon said crank being moved it will optionally actuate said member or bedisconnected therefrom, and means for connecting said crank with saidtreadle mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

OSCAR H. OARLSON.

